Testimony
Testimony is the transmission of knowledge through what others say.
Why rely on testimony at all?
Most of what any person knows comes from testimony, not first-hand verification; you didn’t measure the speed of light yourself.
A reliable Epistemic Community depends on testifiers who:
- Follow the Norms of Assertion
- Have relevant expertise (when speaking as experts)
- Don’t bullshit
Evaluating testimony involves judging the speaker’s credibility, expertise, and whether their reasons are accessible to scrutiny.